12-14-13
The second Christmas at sea for the men aboard CA-69 was NOTHING like the first Christmas (1943), which they spent anchored in Pearl Harbor.
By the time they dropped anchor in the Ulithi lagoon on Dec 22, they had endured: the Marshall Islands Invasions / Campaigns, the Crossing of the Equator Initiations, the Hollandia Invasion, bombing attacks against Wake, the Truk Islands, Iwo Jima; the Mariana Islands Campaigns (which prompted the First Battle of the Philippine Sea), and six months of attacks on the Philippines (which prompted the Second Battle of the Philippine Sea.) As part of the overall Philippines strategy, they became embroiled in the “thick of things” during the Battle off Formosa (mid October) – when two cruisers in their group were torpedoed. The Boston became one of the “tow ships” {whose job it was to pull the heavily damaged Houston 1200 miles away to Ulithi.}. Still in the midst of the Philippines operations, the men suffered through the horrific Typhoon Cobra, during which time the Boston recorded a roll of 46 °, most of the ships were damaged, and three destroyers sunk – taking 800 men to the bottom of the sea.
Less than a week later, they celebrated Christmas:
Compliments of Bob Knight. Lucky for us he saved “stuff” from the War.
steve